When I Look At You
by xoElle23
Summary: Please ignore the cheesy title. This is a fic about a couple that makes all the sense in the world to me. Rated for strong language. Oneshot.


**This one is dedicated to Fin, because she's pretty much the whole reason I fell in love with this pair in the first place. Thanks for being the best person ever and making the most perfect guy in the world for Nani to love.**

**x**

On their first date it's awkward.

He drives up to her house in his old, beat up car that he's worked on and paid for all on his own and nearly turns around when he pulls into her driveway.

She's a fucking millionaire. Well, maybe not a millionaire exactly, but she has a lot of money. He's only seen houses this huge on TV, and to be honest he didn't even think there were any like this in Lima. His house is probably about as big as half of her first floor, but that's just a guess. He wouldn't know, he still hasn't gotten out of the car. He can see her shiny Mercedes Benz parked up ahead, not that she would ever drive it to school for fear that someone might try and break in to it for no reason, but he knows it's hers because of the hot pink license plate with her name on it.

Finally he gathers up his courage, doubting himself the entire time –why had he even bothered? She was way too far out of his league- and reluctantly rings the bell. Even the damn doorbell sounds expensive. Shit, this was sure to be bad.

Santana opens the door less than a minute later, which surprises him because he would have thought they would have a butler or something with a house this big. Maybe they do. Maybe the butler has the night off. Santana tells him she needs only to grab her purse and they can go.

"So, uh, where are your parents?" Shit, he sounds like a fucking idiot already.

Santana heads to the living room and picks up a silver bag resting on a large armchair and opens it to retrieve a thin container of something pink. He soon realizes its lip gloss, and he can smell the sweet scent of cherries from halfway across the room. "They're out." She finally answers. "To some party or something. I don't know; they're never home." She tosses the tube back into her bag and turns to him. "Ready?"

He nods and ushers her out the door, pausing while she turns to lock it behind them. He can't imagine not having his parents around. All his life his parents have always been there, his mother holding a video camera ninety-nine percent of the time, cheering him on and emphasizing the importance of love and respect and life to him and his brother and sister.

They head towards the car and are soon off to the movie theater, him doubting himself the entire time and her seeming somewhat nervous for a reason unbeknownst to him.

By the end of the movie she's wrapped in his arms, her head resting on his chest. When she mentions doing this again soon, Matt decides maybe he isn't as pathetic as he thought.

**x**

Their second date is delicious.

He picks her up around seven and once again her parents appear to be nowhere in sight. But he manages to keep the conversation flowing better- there was a huge fight during lunch today between two hockey players and their girlfriends and it ended when a by standing mathlete had accidently received a black eye- so this time things aren't as weird as before. They reach the ice cream parlor rather quickly and settle down into a small table near the back with their frozen treats. She's gotten the Triple Chocolate Explosion sundae and he is tackling a large banana split. As they wander around outside after they've finished eating he notices a small dab of chocolate sauce on her cheek, and moves to brush it away with the pad of his thumb. Her eyes stare intently into his own, and the spark between them is obvious. Before he can say or do anything at all, her lips are crushed against his and it seems that the entire world has stopped, along with his heart. This has to be a dream, because there is no way in hell that he is really kissing Santana Lopez. No fucking way.

But if it is a dream, he sure as hell doesn't ever want to wake up.

**x**

Their third date is memorable.

When she calls him around noon Saturday morning to see what he's up to, he doesn't think much of it as he tells her about his lack of plans for the day. The laughter she gives off is like music to his ears, and he can't help but peak with curiosity when she tells him that's now changed.

An hour later there is a knock at his front door, and Matt nearly drops his jaw when he opens it.

Santana is standing on his front porch, holding a picnic basket.

"I saw a park when I drove over." She informs him. "Wanna go?"

He tells his mother not to wait up.

They leave her car sitting in his driveway and walk the short distance to the small park a few blocks away. The picnic basket is set on a nearby table to wait, and soon hours fly by as they play on the various playground equipment like they're seven years old. Finally, she glances over to him as they swing side by side, a glint of amusement glittering in her eyes.

"I'll bet I can jump farther than you." She states.

Grinning back at her, he laughs and accepts the bet. "Bring it on."

After a long and tense count to three, they're both soaring through the air before they finally hit the ground with a soft thump. Glancing at each other's placement on the grass, she lets out a cry of victory when it's obvious that she's landed a few feet farther.

"Okay, you win." He concedes, playfulness evident in his tone.

"Yes! What do I win?" she questions giddily.

He smiles. "Whatever you want."

She ponders this for a minute, tapping her chin thoughtfully. Finally, she answers, her voice now quieter than before. "You."

His head snaps up, thinking he must have heard her wrong. Stupidly, he repeats her. "Me?"

She nods, almost seeming nervous, but that made no sense. Why the hell would she be nervous? She's Santana freaking Lopez. He's just…Matt; plain, boring old Matt Rutherford, nothing special. She's amazing.

Santana looks at him finally, a sense of vulnerability showing that he's positive is rarely seen by anyone ever. While she is quite possibly the sweetest person on the planet when they're together, her tough exterior is always a constant when at school. Personally, he thinks her hostility is merely a defense mechanism to keep anyone from getting close enough to hurt her. Or worse, discover who she really was and frown upon that. But why anyone could ever want to do anything but make this girl smile literally baffles him.

"You're different from everyone else." She begins, refusing to allow her voice to waver. "And when I'm with you…I feel special. And happy. And nervous and excited all at the same time. And these last few weeks I haven't been able to stop thinking about you-"

"Will you be my girlfriend?" The words tumble out of his mouth before he can stop them, and for a moment he wonders if it's humanly possible completely humiliate yourself in front of a girl more than he just did.

Hell must have frozen over and pigs are probably about to fly over their heads any second, because he's pretty sure that he's in another world when she grins and nods, rolling over to kiss him senseless with joy.

This is officially the best day of his life. No doubt.

**x**

By now he's lost track of how many dates they've had. They seem to spend every moment possible with each other, whether it's between classes or hanging out at either their houses or anything really. It's gotten to a disgusting level at this point, the way they're so sickeningly sweet to each other, and Santana has gotten into more than a few bitch fights to defend her reputation as a bad ass, but that hasn't stopped her from being just as stupid and mushy right back at him. Their relationship was a surprise to everyone, including themselves, but by now everyone has gotten used to it and it almost seems normal at this point.

They're sitting outside on the quad one sunny day at lunch with their friends, Glee club geeks included, and Santana has taken her usual spot between his legs while he holds his strong arms around her protectively. Every now and then he drops a kiss to her neck, neither of them paying much attention to what's going on or the conversation being held between the others.

"So, are you guys, like, in love and stuff?" Brittany finally asks, snapping them out of their daze.

It's impossible for Matt not to grin at her question. It was only four days ago that they had exchanged those three big words for the first time, under the stars as they sat cuddled together under a blanket on the porch swing in his backyard.

Santana's smile is almost as big as his when as she answers her friend.

"Yeah, B. We are."

Mike's eyebrows rise. "So you finally worked up the courage to say it." He states, sending a congratulatory nod in their direction. "Nice, dude."

"Yeah," Matt looks down at the dark haired beauty he still can't believe is all his and smiles. "It's pretty damn amazing."

And in that moment, he's positive that he has never been happier in his entire life.

**x**

**Mmkay, so ever since I joined this amazing Glee roleplay these two have been a favorite pairing of mine, and not just because I play Santana on the site. Reviews are the best thing ever, and if you're interested in checking out the roleplay PM me for the link. **


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